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Katara should be happy for them. Well, really, she should be happy for Zuko, because her connection with the person he was about to marry was not particularly deep.
Katara had seen that person a few times before, not counting the fierce battles of the past. She had once seen them standing side by side with Zuko, the evening light casting a warm pink glow over their slender silhouettes. The other person turned their face slightly, a smooth pale cheek lifting in what seemed like a sulk. The young man beside them rolled his eyes, pretending not to care, yet his shoulder unconsciously shifted closer. There was always something there, like a smoldering flame, dark blue and deep, a symbol of the greatest power in the world, creeping and burning between those two souls. Katara did not know. But she truly should be happy that her friend was happy. Happy enough to hold a grand and extravagant wedding, both to openly declare that brilliant love and to quietly mark the first great celebration since peace had been established.
Katara raised her head and looked at the layers of blood-red silk wrapped around the massive pillars. Though she had long heard of the Fire Nation royal family's habit of spending money like water, seeing it with her own eyes still left her amazed. The palace had transformed completely over the past week. Zuko had ordered the entire main hall floor to be relaid, replacing the ordinary tiles with dark ones decorated with gold patterns. The furnace carved with nine dragons had been moved to the center, rearranged and rebuilt into a ceremonial altar. The platform stood more than ten meters above the ground, with layer upon layer of wooden stairs stacked up. Two rows of blazing red candles burned in bronze holders as tall as a person, constantly giving off waves of heat. Looking closely, one could see countless ancient blessings, gilded in gold and hand-engraved along their surfaces.
Although the culture was different and she could not fully understand the meaning behind all the busy preparations, Katara could vaguely sense how much effort Zuko had put into it.
"What are you thinking about?"
A warm hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.
"Ah, nothing."
Katara turned around, pulling herself away from the sea of red before her. Standing in front of her was Aang, now nearly as tall as she was.
"Have you seen Zuko yet?"
"Not yet. This place has changed so much."
Aang narrowed his eyes in a grin, his face bright like a little sun. He casually hooked an arm around Katara's and pulled her toward the main hall.
"It's only been half a year, and Zuko's already getting married. I heard the wedding is next week, but the preparations started two months ago. They're really thorough. This is the first time I've seen this place decorated so beautifully even if all those broken, jagged spots from the fights in the past have been neatly repaired."
Playfully, he blew out a small gust of air, making the bronze bells hanging from a candle stand chime softly.
"That exclusive demon-eye fire eel from the night market yesterday was terrifying. Four people ate it, two got food poisoning. When I left, Toph and Sokka were still fast asleep, their faces pale as ghosts."
"Letting them sleep is probably for the best. There's still plenty of time. I'm sure Zuko wouldn't have the heart to blame old friends for being a few hours late."
Katara stepped onto the wide corridor, the thick red carpet swallowing the sound of her cloth shoes.
"But I'm not encouraging it."
"I know."
Aang dragged out the words as he looked around.
"Zuko really went all out this time. But wait, when we meet him later, should I call him Zuko or Your Majesty? I'm excited. I wonder how much he's changed in six months."
Aang stretched.
"He'll definitely be surprised. I might even be as tall as him now."
"Oh, please."
Katara giggled.
"You've definitely had a growth spurt lately, but don't underestimate Zuko."
"That growth spurt part is true."
Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded behind them. The smile on Katara's lips stiffened slightly, while beside her ear was Aang's excited shout.
"Zuko!"
Katara slowly turned around and faced the two figures standing behind her. The gloomy boy from years ago had fully grown into a young man. His lean frame was now covered with a thin layer of firm muscle, making his once-slender build now more solid. Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, striking features, and the vivid red scar on his face looked like a bold stroke of crimson ink painted across a landscape painting that had originally only contained mountains and rivers. His smooth black hair fell down his back, half tied up and secured with an exquisite golden hairpin.
Beside him stood a young woman with pale skin and red lips, her delicate, refined features like a doll inside a glass case.
It was not hard to notice that the black outfits embroidered with red flowers they wore were a matching pair.
"This must be Mai."
Katara spoke softly.
Beside her, Aang could not help stepping forward, curiously studying Zuko.
"You grew your hair out? You look completely different."
"Everyone's changed."
Feeling the young man's gaze rest on her, Katara pushed down the strange feeling in her chest and also stepped forward with a smile.
"You really look the part now. I almost didn't recognize you."
"You're tall."
Aang measured the distance with his hand. He only reached Zuko's nose now. What kind of miracle growth powder had this guy been eating for the last six months?
"So? Do I look like the Fire Lord from your imagination?"
A faint smile flickered in Zuko's eyes as he casually placed a hand behind the waist of the girl beside him.
"This is Mai, my fiancée - no, my queen."
"Fiancée only. Not officially yet."
The young woman shot him a glance.
"I'm Mai. We've met a few times before, but I think introductions are still in order. I'd like to formally meet Zuko's friends."
Putting on a more serious expression, she bowed slightly.
"Ah, right... I'm Aang, and this is Katara. There are two more, Sokka and Toph. You'll meet them later. Relax, we're all family here."
"I understand. If you're Zuko's friends, then you're my friends too. I hope we'll get along."
"Alright. Let's go inside and talk."
Zuko waved a hand.
"I specifically had some large blocks of ice carefully preserved for you. They're waiting in the main hall."
His gaze rested on Katara for a second, then quickly shifted to Aang.
"I know you can't stand the heat."
"Wow. Zuko really is the most thoughtful."
Aang happily walked ahead beside Zuko, chatting nonstop. Katara walked alongside Mai behind them, occasionally exchanging a few sporadic sentences with the young woman.
Contrary to what Katara had expected, although Mai's words and mannerisms still bore some traces of royal bearing, the young woman answered everything with straightforward honesty. It made Katara subconsciously feel an unexpected sense of ease. At the very least, she could clearly see that the young woman was genuinely trying to relax, just as Aang had said - perhaps because they were Zuko's friends.
"How did the two of you meet?"
"Oh, we're childhood friends."
Their shadows overlapped as they walked.
Mai answered briefly, her delicate lashes fluttering slightly.
"We've known each other for a very long time."
A very long time. From when those feelings were still flickering shyly like seeds rolling in damp soil, to when the tender shoots slowly emerged, silently spreading their long roots, until finally they became embedded deep into the very core of the heart, impossible to ever pull out.
It was easy to notice the faint trace of affection passing through the young woman's eyes.
"Then you must understand Zuko better than anyone."
"Understand?"
Mai paused for a few seconds, as if caught off guard by the sudden question. She had never expected to hear such words from someone else's mouth one day.
Did she understand Zuko?
No, Mai did not understand. Understanding Zuko meant knowing why he had dared to step into a bottomless abyss, accepting the icy rejection of his homeland, becoming an exile despised by everyone back then. Understanding Zuko meant knowing what his heart had longed for at the end of that ruined road. It meant knowing how the meaning of the Fire Nation had changed for him after peace was established.
She had quietly watched that boy grow day by day, slowly shedding the shape of an innocent youth and becoming steadier, more determined, more decisive. She had stayed by his side for so long. But Mai did not truly understand him.
Like a cold ghost forever lingering and clinging to the warm fire of the human world even if fate had eventually allowed her to hold his hand, in the end, Zuko was still the one leading her. Mai could hardly understand his next step, let alone the entirety of who Zuko was.
"No."
The young woman spoke softly.
Before Katara could grasp the meaning behind that answer, they had already entered the main hall.
Just as Zuko had said, two enormous blocks of ice stood on either side of the chamber, subtly radiating cool air.
Aang secretly sighed in relief. At last, he had shaken off the heat that had seemed determined to kill him.
"Make yourselves comfortable. Tea."
Zuko walked forward and sat in the seat of honor.
Mai sat at his right. Aang and Katara sat at his left.
"How have you all been?"
Zuko asked.
"Busy beyond belief."
Aang leaned back in his chair without a shred of dignity, complaining.
"There's more work after the war than during it. During the war, at least I only had to focus on one goal: defeat the enemy. Right now, I feel like even splitting myself in two, no, ten times, wouldn't be enough. Everywhere needs help, and they argue at the drop of a hat. All the tribes are good people, I know, but between good people there are still many difficult problems that aren't always caused by bad people."
Katara laughed. Not having to face Zuko directly or see him while chatting helped her relax somewhat, though Katara didn't understand why she felt that way.
"Don't listen to him exaggerate. It's true we've had to keep moving constantly, but the final results of each trip have been very worthwhile."
"Is that so?"
Zuko's voice gave away nothing.
"What about you? Is being Fire Lord great?"
Aang asked curiously, grabbing a pastry from the table.
Mai frowned slightly, as though she found this question foolish. This was duty. It was a great honor. Matters of state could hardly be defined by the two words "happy" or "unhappy."
"I suppose."
Zuko smiled faintly.
The atmosphere in the hall fell silent for a moment.
The boy who once had charged straight into the blazing battlefield, lips pressed tight, now sat silently upright in the main hall, his features sharper, his shoulders much broader than before. He calmly took a sip of fragrant tea.
"Of course it can't compare to the days of roaming around with all of you, but honestly, it's not bad. At least I've found myself a new purpose, to lead my people and build a stronger Fire Nation, and..."
He set the cup down. The dark tea reflected no bottom.
"...to stay beside the person I love."
Aang blinked several times, as though he had just heard something very serious but hadn't had time to process it.
"Oh... well, that's good! By the way, what have you been eating to get so tall? I've clearly been exercising really hard for six months and I still can't catch up to you."
"It's thanks to Mai. There's always so much demanding attention after peace. She's the one who brings me meals and makes sure I don't skip any."
The atmosphere quickly warmed up again. The young woman shot Zuko a glance.
"I just didn't want him to forget to eat."
"That's really thoughtful."
Aang nodded.
"Katara's like that too. We..."
He paused.
"Ah, no. I mean Katara cares a lot about everyone. For example, if I don't eat or rest, or if I exhaust myself, she gets angry immediately. I really don't want Katara angry at all."
"Do you actually forget to eat sometimes?"
Katara teased, gesturing toward the half-eaten pastry in his hand.
"Depends on the situation!"
Aang blinked and hurriedly disposed of the rest of the pastry into his stomach. His mouth was full of crumbs, but unfortunately, due to the climate and the local culture, Fire Nation snacks were mostly dense travel rations. No matter how hard Aang chewed, his mouth didn't produce enough saliva to swallow it down completely.
Katara helplessly shook her head. She took a cup of tea from the table, cooled it with a breath, and brought it to his lips.
"Slowly."
The porcelain cup touched his lips. Aang took small sips, finally managing to swallow the stubborn pastry. He sighed in relief and patted his chest.
"Your relationship is really good. Katara pays a lot of attention to her friends."
Mai suddenly spoke up.
Katara's hand paused around her teacup, then she calmly set it down. Her actions had been so smooth, caring for Aang had almost become Katara's bodily instinct. Since when had she started reacting like this? Observing Aang, responding to his interactions with the world around him, seemed to have become so natural that it didn't require thought. Repeated so many times over such a long period, it had become difficult even for Katara herself to judge how much of her actions were concern and how much would look like intimacy to an outsider. Her hand resting on her lap silently tightened. Suddenly, Katara wanted to speak up and deny it.
She didn't really "pay attention" to Aang in that way. And Aang wasn't a passive recipient of her care, clearly, sometimes he even took the initiative to respond...
"No arguing with that. Those two have always been like this."
Zuko's words were like throwing a small stone into a previously still pond, stirring up heavy, rippling waves in Katara's heart.
"So perfect... that there's never any room for anyone else to squeeze in."
The corner of his mouth lifted into a very slight curve. Although his tone sounded like he was just stating facts, a faint trace of self-mockery couldn't help but flash through his eyes.
"Enough small talk. Let's get down to business."
Zuko stood up, walked forward a few steps, then turned to face Aang.
"As you know, the Fire Nation, and the world in general, has only recently established a state of peace. The upcoming wedding, so extravagantly magnificent, is not only to affirm Mai's status and position as the future queen, but also a political statement, representing the stability and steadfastness of the Fire Nation after the war. The Fire Nation is no longer aggressively expanding as in the past, but is now committed to pursuing order and development."
His back remained perfectly straight.
"Besides being a guest, I need you to be here as the Avatar, a representative of this peaceful era."
His gaze slowly shifted to Katara, those beautiful dark eyes seeming to pierce through her constantly wavering soul.
He knew.
Cold dread settled in Katara's chest.
He knew.
From the moment Zuko rose from his seat, Katara had not been able to look away from him.
No, ever since he had appeared.
Every glance, every reaction, whether deliberate or unconscious, whether avoided or suppressed, had always returned to him.
To his black hair.
To the bridge of his nose.
To the vivid scar.
To those broad, steady shoulders.
Katara was looking at Zuko now with the eyes of a young woman looking at a grown man.
She had underestimated him.
It was that obvious.
That complicated.
How could he possibly not notice?
“Will you come?”
My wedding.
You’ll come, won’t you?